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A very quick overview of how ISO computes their ratings from their website, http://www.iso.com/Products/Public-Protection-Classification-Service/Fire-Suppression-Rating-Schedule-FSRS-manual-for-PPC-grading.html

The municipal water system (or lack there of) drops down alot of depts ISO ratings, and thats something that is out of the FD hands. Many rural depts in my area are split rating. 3 or4 in the hyranted water district, and and 8's or 9's out of it. Yes, tankers do help alot, but you'd need a ton of tankers to make up for it. I recently attended a meeting where they had an ISO speaker explain for several hours the whole rating system. There are other factors that are (sometimes) out of the FD'd hands, dispatching and water systems (40%). Until my local politicians decide to expand the municipal water system (at a cost of multi millions of $$) my dept will be hard pressed to go from a split rating to a 3, but we are working on going from a 9 to a 8a or b. The first # is within 5 road miles and within 1000 feet of a hyrdant, the second # is for structures within 5 road miles, but beyond 1000 feet of a hydrant. I would hardly call a ISO class 4 or below a "failure" of the fire dept.

Fisch Internet Solutuions is good stuff. Jason is a top notch guy. Spotted Dog beats I Am Responding so badly, they arent even in the same class.

Call for a "Tanker" on the East Coast, your going to get a lot of water on wheels. Call for a "Tanker" on the West Coast, your getting a lot water flying thru the air. We cant standardize on much of anything in the fire service...

Looks like the old Spangler Dual had this idea years ago......

If anyone knows anything, post it up here. The Iona Island FD will fade off to a few pictures and an old fire station if we dont try to collect/preserve the history of it. For such an important facility that produced most of the ammo for the Atlantic US and British naval fleets in WWII, that would be a shame to loose it.

and their ex Military M35A2 brush truck.

1941 ALF 750 GPM Pumper stationed at Iona Island Edited to add I was sent this picture from www.firetruck-atwar.com I do not take and credit for it, other than posting it on here, and arousing some interest in it.

I will post some more pics tommorrow. Most of the "roads" on the island were actually railroad tracks powered by a pneumatic locomotive. The PIP uses it as a storage yard now. The island was actually 2 islands, the ammo depot, and a rock quarry, then the USN took over the whole thing. The explosion that was posted above has strewn bricks all over the island, as well as UXO. The UXO threat seems to be real, as the USN sends EOD teams there every year, and that is part of the reason it is closed to the public.. I will work to see what other info I can dig up.

All, I was on an authorized & approved by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission hike out to Iona Island today, I took a picture of the Iona Island Fire Station, build by the US Navy when the island was a Naval Ammunition Depot. Anyone know of what kind of apparatus they had there back in the day (1900's to 1957) The island is closed to the public. I could see evidence of a fire pole going from the 2nd to 1st floor peering thru a window.

Great way to spend taxpayer dollars.......

Bring back Johnny and Roy and Station 51!!!!!!

There is a used police car dealer on Rt 32 that sells nothing but ex PD/Govt service cars. I dont know the name or exact location, but it is between the NYS Thruway Saugerties exit and Palenville NY on RT 32.

Cant wait! Should be a great time!

Does any one know of any company that comes to your station and performs apparatus pump testing without the need to find a water source (pond/lake/river/ect) I could of sworn that I saw an ad somewhere of a company that come to your statuion, has a big mobile trailer/water tank and can do NPFA pump testing in your station parking lot... Any ideas? Thanks!

Lucky guys.. It looks like the last guy looked back perhaps to get the saw and hook, but decided he had a good enough excuse not too. I dont blame him a bit.

Ulster County has a county wide ban on outdoor burning from March 15th to May 15th. I hope people arent stupid today.

One problem that stands in the way of count wide fire depts is the NYS constitution. It prohibits countywide fire districts.

"I don't think Sullivan County has the density of Ladders as, say Westchester or the more urban/mixed counties" Thats an understatement......

I love picture #14..

One word of advice. The RV stroage tents are mini ecosystems if they are totally sealed. Water can get in, and if it gets trapped, it will start rusting everything. You need airflow in them.

Im not "comfortable" with that statement, but it is a fact. As a FF, there are some fires you just cant go into because they are too hot to go save those who are trapped. It happens. Do we feel OK, about it, no. Part of the problem here is LE agencies have different tactics on how they respond and react, and discussing them in open forum is not going to happen due to OPSEC. All agencies that con repsond to an event need to meet, talk about the plan and work together.

My two cents on this is as follows, and my experience in this area is limited to being a participant in an Active Shooter training scenario that was put on by some NYSP MRT guys to train other state MRT teams and local PD.. It was an eye opening in experience. Withoput getting into Tactics, Techniques, and Proceedures and violating OPSEC, the best thing you can do to educate yourself in how an non tactical EMS plays into the whole plan is to talk to your local PD and NYSP tactical teams. Offer to run a scenario in your local school/mall/whatever. different LE agencies have different policies as to how they deal with the situation. Find out what the policies are... The LE agencies can always use the training and will be happy to do it, and you can see first hand what happens, and what your role will be. The training I participated in used paramedic students as victims, so they got experience in what happens in those situations. Until LE offically enters and clears the rooms/building, there will need to be (hopefully) alot of public who is in the building doing self and buddy aid. It will need to be alot of victim helping victim "I was in the Boy Socuts and I know field first aid" type of stuff to help each other out, IF the situation (bad guy or absense of bad guy) allows.. Self extrication will be going on, if the situation presents itself. Unfortunately, some treatble casualties may die because EMS cant get to them due to the hallways being unsecure. Question #1 of EMS.. Is the scene secure? If not, you cant help. If you get shot, your now a victim and adding to the amount of work that needs to be done. It sucks, but it's the truth.

I was involved with an Active shooter training scenario a few weeks back in Albany that trained NYSP MRT and other local agencies. As far as the whole thing is concerned, it is VERY VERY manpower intensive, and you need to let the PD do their job, clear the rooms/building, THEN AND ONLY THEN you can do yours as an EMT. PD needs to sort out the good guys from the bad, and that all takes alot of time and manpower.

Years ago, Camp Smith had it's own Fire Dept. They used Ex-FDNY apparatus.